Caiaphas

The same argument 1800 years ago was brought against Christ by the rulers of the people.

It is expedient for us, said the wily Caiaphas, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

This argument will appear conclusive, and a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the people liberty after a certain time to put them to death.

Romanism in the old world and apostate Protestantism in the new will pursue a similar course toward those who honor all the divine precepts.

The absurd and almost impious service which is still read in our churches on the 30th of January had produced in the minds of the vulgar a strange association of ideas.

The sufferings of Charles were confounded with the sufferings of the Redeemer of mankind, and every regicide was a Judas, a Caiaphas, or a Herod.

It was true that, when Ludlow sat on the tribunal in Westminster Hall, he was an ardent enthusiast of twenty-eight.

and that now he had returned from exile a gray-headed and wrinkled man in his seventieth year.

Jesus said to him, Free him, and let him go.

therefore many of the jews who came to mary and saw what jesus did believed in him but some of them went away to the pharisees and told them the things which jesus had done the chief priests therefore and the pharisees gathered a council and said what are we doing for this man does many signs if we leave him alone like this every one will believe in him and the romans will come and take away both our place and our nation But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "'You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish?' Now he didn't say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.' so from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death jesus therefore walked no more openly among the jews but departed from there into the country near the wilderness to a city called ephraim he stayed there with his disciples Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand.

Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.

Then they sought for Jesus and spoke one with another, as they stood in the temple.

So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Peter.

Then the maid who kept the door said to Peter, Are you also one of this man's disciples? He said, I am not.

now the servants and the officers were standing there having made a fire of coals for it was cold they were warming themselves peter was with them standing and warming himself the high priest therefore asked jesus about his disciples and about his teaching jesus answered him i spoke openly to the world i always taught in synagogues and in the temple where the jews always meet i said nothing in secret why do you ask me ask those who have heard me what i said to them behold these know the things which i said when he had said this one of the officers standing by slapped jesus with his hand saying do you answer the high priest like that jesus answered him if i have spoken evil testify of the evil but if well why do you beat me Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself.

And the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.

And one of them, Caiaphas being high priest that year, said to them, you know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and not the whole.

and not that the whole nation should perish.

It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should perish.

So notice verse 52.

And Not for that nation only, he went on to say, but also that he would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

So Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and this is John's commentary, and not for that nation only.

but also that he would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

And Jesus grew in his stature and wisdom, and in the grace of God and men.

And in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was the governor in Judea, and one of the four rulers, Herod in Galilee, and Philip his brother One of the four rulers in Iturea and in the district of Trachonitis, and Lysanias, one of the four rulers in Abilene, in the chief priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the command of God went forth to John the son of Zacharias in the desert.

And he came into all the region which is about Jordan, proclaiming the baptism of repentance unto the forgiveness of sins.

And he was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is come near.

And the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered and said, What shall we do? For lo, this man doeth many signs.

And if we leave him thus, all men will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take our country and people.

And one of them, who was called Caiaphas, the chief priest he was in that year, said unto them, Ye know not anything, nor consider that it is more advantageous for us that one man should die instead of the people, and not that the whole people perish.

And this he said not of himself, but because he was the chief priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die instead of the people, and not instead of the people alone, but that he might gather the scattered children of God together.

And Jesus grew in his stature and wisdom and in the grace of God and men.

And in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was the governor in Judea, and one of the four rulers, Herod in Galilee, and Philip his brother, one of the four rulers in Iturea and in the district of Trachonitis, and Lysanias, one of the four rulers in Abilene, in the chief priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the command of God went forth to John the son of Zacharias in the desert.

And he came into all the region which is about Jordan, proclaiming the baptism of repentance unto the forgiveness of sins.

And he was preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is come near." This is he that was spoken of in Isaiah the prophet, the voice which crieth in the desert, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make straight in the plain paths for our God.

And the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered and said, What shall we do? For lo, this man doeth many signs.

And if we leave him thus, all men will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take our country and people.

And one of them, who was called Caiaphas, the chief priest he was in that year, said unto them, Ye know not anything, nor consider that it is more advantageous for us that one man should die instead of the people, and not that the whole people perish.

And this he said not of himself, but because he was the chief priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die instead of the people, and not instead of the people alone, but that he might gather the scattered children of God together.

You and I can all testify in this way.

And why I say this is, how does Stephen begin? When he says this in chapter seven of verse one, it says, then the high priest said to Stephen, who's before the council, who's caught up, they said, are these things what? So, are they so? Are you blaspheming Moses? Are you blaspheming the temple? Are you blaspheming all of these things? And just to make sure you understand how serious this is, who is the high priest that's here right now? Anyone know his name, the high priest of these people? This is Caiaphas, the high priest, who's just put Jesus to death, who put Jesus on trial, who opposed Jesus.

This is the high priest.

And why this is amazing is while they're coming after him, while they're opposing him, while they're against him, all the power, who is it that's going to stand for Stephen? Who is going to stand for you and I? And whenever you hear the church walking through these verses, what was it that Jesus prophetically said about this moment? He said this in Mark 13, 11.

But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed, and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about five thousand.

The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their rulers, elders, and scribes, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high priestly family.

So they made the apostles stand in the center and demanded of them, By what power or in what name have you done this? Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied, Rulers and elders of the people, if we today are under examination concerning the benefit conferred on a man helplessly lame as to how this man has been cured, be it known to you all and to all the people of Israel that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, but whom God has raised from among the dead, through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health.

This Jesus is the stone treated with contempt by you the builders, but it has been made the cornerstone, and in no other is the great salvation to be found, for in fact there is no second name under heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved.